PM Modi To Attend BJP’s First Anniversary Event In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a high-stakes political event that underscores the Bharatiya Janata Party’s growing influence in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in the state capital, Bhubaneswar, on Friday, June 20, to participate in the first anniversary celebrations of the BJP-led government in the state. The visit, initially scheduled for June 12, was deferred due to the Prime Minister’s preoccupations with other national engagements.

The visit is being closely watched, not just for its ceremonial value, but for its deeper political messaging. According to Odisha’s revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari, the Prime Minister’s presence will be a "moment of pride and strategic importance" for the people of Odisha.

“It’s not just a celebration — it marks a year of transformation and a commitment to charting a new developmental course for the state,” Pujari said.

The anniversary event, to be held at a sprawling venue — Janata Maidan — in the central part of Bhubaneswar, is expected to draw an estimated crowd of 1.5 lakh people, comprising BJP workers, supporters, beneficiaries of state schemes, and citizens from different parts of the state. The event is being positioned as a show of strength for the BJP, which ended the Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) 24-year-long rule in the 2024 Assembly elections.

On June 7, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had personally extended invitations to Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President J.P. Nadda, and other senior party leaders to attend the anniversary celebrations. It may be recalled that PM Modi had also graced the swearing-in ceremony of the Majhi-led government on June 12, 2024 — a historic event that marked the first time the BJP assumed power in the state.

Over the past year, the BJP government has rolled out a series of flagship welfare schemes aimed at addressing key social and economic issues in Odisha. Among them, the Subhadra Yojana, which offers direct financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to married women in the state over a period of five years, has generated significant attention for its focus on women’s empowerment. Another key initiative is the Mukhyamantri Kamadhenu Yojana, designed to boost the dairy sector by providing financial support for cattle purchase and improving milk production infrastructure.

Apart from highlighting these achievements, the anniversary programme is expected to serve as a platform for the government to unveil its future roadmap for Odisha’s growth. Sources in the state BJP indicated that several new welfare schemes and infrastructure projects are likely to be announced during the event.

Analysts believe the Prime Minister’s visit is laden with political significance, particularly as the BJP prepares for upcoming urban local body and cooperative elections in the state.

“This is not merely an anniversary celebration — it’s a strategic assertion of the BJP’s arrival as a dominant political force in Odisha. The Prime Minister’s presence will energise the party’s grassroots cadre and send a message to rival parties that the BJP is here to stay,” said political commentator Dr. Sriram Dash.

The BJP’s Odisha unit, traditionally considered a peripheral player in the state’s politics, made history in 2024 by dethroning the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD, which had held uninterrupted power since 2000. Political observers attribute this shift to a combination of anti-incumbency sentiments, strategic candidate selection, and the Modi factor, which played a decisive role in mobilizing voters in both urban and rural constituencies.

Friday’s programme is also expected to be used by the Prime Minister to underline the Centre’s commitment to Odisha’s development. With the state’s vast mineral wealth, strategic coastline, and growing industrial hubs, Odisha has increasingly featured in national economic strategies. From infrastructure upgrades to tribal welfare and disaster management, the Centre has been proactively aligning its policies with Odisha’s developmental needs — a theme likely to feature prominently in PM Modi’s speech.

“As Odisha continues to adjust to the post-BJD political landscape, Friday’s anniversary celebrations could well be a curtain-raiser for the BJP’s long-term plans in the state. It will test the new government’s ability to consolidate its electoral gains, sustain momentum, and deliver on the promises that powered its rise to power,” said Dr Kishore Chandra Swain, a political analyst.